Who’s #1? (Merged)

[bballnut90]

Yes, ND’s win was impressive, but USC barely got by Ole Miss. I think at this point in the season, USC is overrated. JuJu doesn’t look as good as she did last year (despite ESPN anointing her as the supreme Godess of Basketball). When ND gets back some of their missing players, they might be the best team, but they aren’t right now. For the first in a long time, nearly everyone at the top looks vulnerable.

This ^^. Notre Dame with a huge win and deserves a top 3 ranking but I think USC is more likely in the 10-15 range right now than top 5.

 

[towerman]

Let us enjoy the next month or so and see where everyone stands on Jan 1.

 

[dabears17]

My thoughts exactly. I said in an earlier post that S.Carolina was beatable and they should be NO.1 until they lost. Well they lost and now it's UCONN's turn. UCLA is formidable but SC hasn't the defense that UCONN has , so I believe that we can prevail. Has UCLA ever beat UCONN? We should be NO.1 next week and if not ,by the week after we will be. GO FRESHMEN!!! GO SOPHOMORES!!! GO HUSKIES!!!!

UCLA beat UConn on November 24th, 2023.

 

[CL82]

Have folks on this board really not become wise to the Laws of Jinx?

Thank you!

 

[CL82]

How can we get so wound up? This is the Boneyard. Most of us don’t have a life outside UConn WBB from November to April.

Well, that's not true for me. I also follow UConn football, men's basketball, and hockey.

 

[Bone Dog]

I have watched all the top teams play, and by far the most impressive among them at this early point of the season (god I hate myself for saying this) is Notre Dame, not UCLA, and it isn't even particularly close.

But UCLA would probably get credited for beating the top-ranked team by a wide margin. I expect the first-place votes to be split three ways between UCLA, ND, and UConn.

If I had a vote, I'd put ND at #1, UConn and Texas at #2 or 3, UCLA at #4, and SC somewhere around #7 or 8, about even with Iowa State, who just barely squeaked past Drake today, and USC at #9. SC is probably better than 7, but now it's time to prove it. After today's loss, last year's accomplishment doesn't have any weight.

 

[Hayven]

Talk to me after UConn survives the gauntlet of top ten teams they will play this season......until then who cares about early season rankings?

Couldn’t agree more. The team needs to figure out how to limit the ND guards in a few weeks.

 

[freekimchee]

Wouldn't surprise me one bit if the voters put UCLA #1 and ND #2 while dropping UConn to #3 followed by SCar at #4 and USC #5

 

[MSGRET]

UCLA barely beat Louisville 66-59 in Paris. Louisville just played USF and barely beat them 64-60. UConn played USF and blew them out 86-49. I'll take UConn over UCLA and ND because I don't think they would have an answer on stopping Paige, Azzi and Sarah.

 

[Charliebball]

Many Boneyarders????

To each their own but I'm trying to figure out why it matters at this time in the season........the rankings are likely to change on a weekly basis with every top ten team win or loss so who's ranked number one right now is of little consequence.......as we come down the stretch towards the conference tournaments that's when they'll have my attention.....

 

[Next 12]

BU isn’t in the Bahamas, BC is.

Thank you. I took Boston to be BU when I saw the match-ups. My bad. So it was Boston College. It is no matter UCONN will win both games and be 6-0 GO HUSKIES!!!!!

BU isn’t in the Bahamas, BC is.

 

[Bone Dog]

I'm trying to figure out why it matters at this time in the season

It doesn’t matter. The point of the exercise might actually be to show how meaningless the rankings are.

 

[sun]

IMO the AP Poll will be shalen up due to the eye tests.
UCLA #1
UConn #2
ND & Texas #3 or #4
USC & SCar #5 or #6

USC & SCar didn't play very well.
But UCLA was touted for having the top 3 players of the class of 2022.
Betts appears to be a difference maker at this point.
ND will need to beat UConn to pass us in the rankings.
The AP panel needs to ask if UConn can beat SCar by 15 points?
If they think not then the panelist can vote UCLA #1.

 

[ucmiami2]

The only thing I had against SC winning the NC (if we didn't obviously) and going undefeated was the winning streak continuing into this season. I was glad that Dawn scheduled UCLA but was still wary of the streak to 111.
Well, I am ecstatic that their streak will start again with their next win.

Ya got to understand, to even reach 90 wins, you have to win back to back championships.

To do it that way, you need to win the first one with a winning streak of 11 at least, then go 40-0, and then win your first 39 games (i.e. get to the championship game) the next year. Just as an aside, only two coaches have ever won the NCAA back to back Pat did it three time but but only once undefeated. And Geno did it six times, 5 times undefeated resulting in the 70, 90, and 111 game winning streaks. The first two winning streaks started with a season starting win. The 90 game streak started with back to back undefeated winning seasons. The 111 game streak started after an early season lost in a 38-1 NCAA champion, followed by an undefeated season, and then by a loss in the next seasons final four. (Uconn also has a 47 game winning streak that is the fifth longest in history part of an incredible stretch of 158-1 that included 4 NCAAs.)

If you don't go back to back with NCAA championships, your longest streak is going to be 79 wins. The longest streak anyone not named Uconn has had is Louisiana Tech at 54 that includes one year pre-NCAA, Tennessee went for 46 (6 NCAA wins followed by 39-0, followed by 1-0 to start the next season.) The next longest is the just ended USC, and then 42 for Baylor with Griner who went 40-0 and then won their first two games the following year.

Going perfect for a season is also really hard. There are currently ten teams that have done that in the history of NCAA D1, Uconn 6 times, and once each by Texas, Tenn, Baylor, and now USC. Only Uconn has ever won an NCAA after an undefeated season and they have done it 3 times.

 

[Boreifs]

How can we get so wound up? This is the Boneyard. Most of us don’t have a life outside UConn WBB from November to April.

Some of us do.

 

[ERWUC65]

ND at home for Texas and UConn in December. Rankings will have some meaning after those games.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

My top 6:
#1: UConn - We have Paige, Sarah, & AZZI (even though she has only one game so far) and they don't!
#2 UCLA - very impressive vs. South Carolina
#3 uNd - looking good so far - Still early
#4 South Carolina - was on a 43 game winning streak, defending National Champs & many AP writers already voted (early and often)
#5 Texas - best win so far is Vs. DePaul, we'll see how real they are vs. uNd on 12/6/24 in South Bend
#6 USoCal - they still have Juju Watkins and don't see LSU moving up with the light weights they are playing

 

[ScottCT]

I don't understand why the people who say they don't care about the rankings, click on thread that's clearly about the rankings, and then complain that people are talking about the rankings.

 

[Happydad745]

Either Norte Dame or UCLA will be ranked first....UConn third.

 

[Cuango]

Either Norte Dame or UCLA will be ranked first....UConn third.

Yeah, I don’t think so. Not sure why UConn would go down after soundly beating #14 on the road?

 

[FormerCTrez]

Well, South Carolina came up just short of our 111 game win streak. And our 90. And our 60...
I think UConn, UCLA, ND make up the top 3 in that order, but would not be surprised if we are not #1

You’re funny, funny, funny, and I love your sense of humor!

The Gamecocks lost today’s game, but it’s not the end of the world. And like Geno would, I believe Dawn Staley will use this as a lesson to her squad. However, it’s just another reminder that it’s really, really hard to remain unbeatable, and UConn’s streaks mentioned above, are very rare occurrence. Go UConn!

 

[kidfrom360]

1- UCLA
2- UCONN
3-ND
4- South Carolina
5- Texas
6- USC

 

[AzzisBraids]

#1 UConn
#2 UCLA
#3 Notre Dame

I think the ND - USC game was more of a referendum of USC than Notre Dame. UCLA beat the top and so if they exchange with UConn, that's fine too. UConn has the coaching advantage but Hidalgo needs to be at the top of the "how do we stop this kid" list. Defensively she is more disruptive than a spoiled kid at the Dollar Tree.

 

[donalddoowop]

That was last season, UConn is a completely different team this year. I believe that UConn only played 6 players in that game, they can play at least 11 right now.

I know that. I was responding to Next12's statement. Also, UCLA is a completely different team.

 

[Skeets]

I don't understand why the people who say they don't care about the rankings, click on thread that's clearly about the rankings, and then complain that people are talking about the rankings.

LOL, because that's what we do.

 

[Bald Husky]

Well, South Carolina came up just short of our 111 game win streak. And our 90. And our 60...
I think UConn, UCLA, ND make up the top 3 in that order, but would not be surprised if we are not #1

We don't have a 60, but we do have a 70 game streak.

 

[Skeets]

I've always said that the national champion is the king of the mountain until someone proves they are not. UCLA proved SCar is not the king of the mountain. OK, cool. But if you think UConn needs to drop in the polls for a game that doesn't involve them then maybe you should see someone because you have a problem.

OT, by the same reasoning above, why aren't the UConn men #1? They are the reigning king of the mountain.

 

[Centerstream]

To each their own but I'm trying to figure out why it matters at this time in the season........the rankings are likely to change on a weekly basis with every top ten team win or loss so who's ranked number one right now is of little consequence.......as we come down the stretch towards the conference tournaments that's when they'll have my attention.....

I wasn't defending the early season rankings banter on the BY just saying that it is a topic that is discussed here on the BY. It's right up there with the number of threads and posts on early season line-ups/who is starting.
If #1 rankings matter, the only one that really, really matters is the one with the obvious choice the day after the NC.

 

[CL82]

We don't have a 60, but we do have a 70 game streak.

Pssh, 60 game win streaks are for amateurs.

 

[oldhusky]

Doesn't UConn play three of the four teams mentioned?

Yes with the main point being our opportunity for an impressive win against a top ranked opponent will come in each of those games. Four of the top 7 teams had that opportunity this weekend. Assuming we hold serve against the other opponents, the difference between being 3-0 in those games vs. 0-3 could mean the difference between #1 and #8 or #9 IMO.